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Tarmuid, the First
Tarmuid, the wizard/monk who created the Ritual of Words Made Flesh, was the first illumian and the creator of the illumian race. After he showed other humans how they too could tranform themselves into illumians, he spend the rest of his lifespan researching how the Illumian language that infused his body might possess the secret of eternal life. For decades he searched in vain for a means of ascension. Then, upon his deathbed, his final utterance cantained words of transfiguring power, and he became a demigod and protector of the Illumian people. To this day, Tarmuid dwells in the Castle of the Infinite Sigil at the heart of the Illumian shadow-metropolis of Elirhondas, where he dispatches his clerics and followers to eliminate threats to the illumian race--often by subtle means, but occasionally with an overwhelming crusade. When Tarmuid appears to the faithful it is as pale but handsome illumian in glowing white robes, with every letter in the illumian alphabet whirling about his head. Cleric Training Tarmuid's clerics are well versed in illumian history, and they learn as many languages as they can. Acolytes of Tarmiud's faith learn scripture by translating the holy text into other tongues, then translating it back into Illumian. Tarmuid's worshipers also pride themselves on their ability to memorize long liturgical passages and recite them word for word. Tarmuid's clerics turn undead rather than rebuke them and caste cure spells spontaneously. Quests Tarmuid sends his representatives into the world to discover new kinds of magic or to protext a significant number of illumians from a threat. He also has high-level cleric inquisitors who secretly work among the cabals, ensuring that they adhere to the principles Tarmuid set down when he created the first cabals. Whenever a blod arises that involves the Ritual of Words Made Flesh, Tarmuid's agents are there to make sure that the ritual stays safely split up, but in illumian hands. Prayers Tarmuid's prayers, spoken exclusively in Illumian, tend to be long-winded and feature flowerly language. Rather than ask for aid from Tarmuid directly, prayers of intercession ask Tarmuid to help the worshiper unlock the secrets of his or her own inner power. Shrines Tarmuid's shrines are prominent in the enclave of every cabal where illumians worship him, and even cabals that don't actively worship Tarmuid keep a small shrine as a historical monument and for illumian visitors. Such shrines usually feature a bust of Tarmuid (with a permanent image ''for the halo of sigils) atop a black alter. The walls are covered with scriptures and sayings in elaborately painted or gilded letters, exhorting illumians to tap into their inner power. Rites Whenever an illumian is born, the entire cabal gathers to recite "The Ritual Renewed," a reenactment of Tarmuid's first performance of the Ritual of Words Made Flesh. The ritual itself is not performed--it's complicated and potentially deadly, and the instructions are split into hundreds of parts and spread among the cabals. Illumians also call on clerics of Tarmuid to bless new enclave buildings and the formation of new cabals. Herald and Allies Tarmuid uses a 20th-level illumian monk as his herald; Vuliak is the current herald's name. He sends hound archons, zelekhuts, and maruts in response to the ''planar ally spells. Category:Religion Category:Demigod Category:Races of Destiny Category:Core Pantheon Category:Illumian Gods